What is top cause of fires in Vancouver, BC in 2024?

Vancouver firefighters battle blazes of varying sizes in the city daily...but one culprit causes the most damage.

Carelessly discarded smoking material causes the most fires in the city.

Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Capt. Matthew Trudeau tells V.I.A. that roughly 62 per cent of fires are caused by smoker materials, up from 59 per cent last year.

"The only disposal method for smoking material is in metal containers of sand or water; never off balconies, in planters, into backyards or out of vehicles," he says, adding that planters with vegetation in them may catch fire.

"Discarding a cigarette into a planter with vegetation and flowers...people will think it will put it out and then it smoulders and turns into a fire."

People sometimes flick cigarettes off highrises or into their backyards, setting fire to trees, grass, bushes, sheds, and other buildings. These incidents can quickly spread into larger fires.

Vancouver has more fires caused by cigarettes than other cities

Trudeau notes Vancouver has a significantly higher percentage of fires caused by smoking materials than other cities across the Lower Mainland. Other places see more blazes from accidental cooking fires and other incidents.

"Since we've kept more specific tracking data, we can compare it to other places," he notes. "It's the crisis of overdose compounded by drug use material, lighters, and lockable butane torches."

Trudeau says Vancouver firefighters have battled fires caused by smoking materials for many years but cases increase annually.

A fire on July 22 destroyed a heritage home on West 16th Avenue between Cypress and Arbutus streets, displaced several people, and damaged a neighbouring house.

Trudeau says a single cigarette caused the destructive fire.